BOSSASO, Somalia – Puntland’s security forces displayed four foreign passports and two identification cards abandoned by foreign fighters allied with ISIS during an operation in the Cal-Miskaad mountains of Bari region.
The documents were recovered as Puntland forces dismantled multiple ISIS strongholds in the mountain area, which lies east of the coastal city of Bossaso, according to the reports.
Among the items seized was a Saudi passport belonging to a fighter who reportedly entered Somalia through the Ethiopian border, passed through Somaliland, and eventually reached Bari’s mountainous regions. Other captured items included bank cards used by the militants for ATM cash withdrawals.
The operation also led to the capture of ISIS fighters, including foreign nationals, though their countries of origin remain officially undisclosed. Reports suggest they hail from Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Morocco, and Tanzania.
The Puntland military confirmed the destruction of ISIS supply depots and command centers while recovering stockpiles of weapons and food supplies. This marks a significant blow to ISIS, which established a foothold in the Cal-Miskaad mountains in 2015 under the leadership of Abdulqadir Mumin.
Puntland has intensified its military campaign to eradicate ISIS from the Cal-Madow and Cal-Miskaad ranges. The offensive also aims to halt the group’s taxation of businesses in Bosaso, a major economic hub critical to the funding of militant operations in the region.
The current military operation follows recent clashes in Dharjaalle, where eight foreign ISIS fighters were reportedly killed, further weakening the group’s presence in Puntland.
